Man City will go on and win it! Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers concedes title

DEFLATED: Brendan Rodgers says Liverpool have lost in the Premier League title race [STUART ROBINSON]

The result returned Liverpool to the top of the table by a point above Manchester City, but City has a game in hand and can win its second title in three years with four points from its last two games.

Liverpool were running away to a bonus big win after first-half goals by Joe Allen and Daniel Sturridge, then Luis Suarez's score in the 55th minute.

Then, against the run of play, Damian Delaney scored in the 79th to begin a stunning turnaround. Dwight Gayle cut the deficit to one two minutes later, and drew level with his second goal in the 88th.

And Rodgers conceeded the race was now over, with Manchester City now in pole position to be crowned winners.

He said: "There is no doubt. Manchester City will go on and win it now."

"It was obviously very frustrating. For 75 minutes we were outstanding. We scored three goals, we created many chances, then we conceded with 12 minutes to go and we have to see the game out better than that.

"You cannot come here against a very good side, be the threat that we were and then defend as we did. It is criminal really.

"It is the [fault of the] team, coach, manager, everyone. We win and lose together. The supporters were brilliant for us. They helped us get in front but we ended up conceding three goals in the last 12 minutes.

"We win and lose together, so we will take the blame and move on."

"It is 99 goals we have scored, which is a phenomenal achievement by the team - but you have to defend. It is no good scoring all those goals if you defend as we did tonight.

"We needed to win to keep the pressure on going into the last game and we did not do that. You have to have that maturity to see it through and we did not do that. It was bitterly disappointing and I would expect Manchester City to go on and win their two home games.

"Congratulations to Crystal Palace, they produced a great fightback and punished our mistakes."